rent tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >> you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision.

the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> announcer: on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: hey, 26 minutes after the hour now. igor volsky from think progress joins us for his weekly visit in the next segment of the "full court press." we'll talk about what state after state after state is now proposing to do starting with new york. led by new york on the issue of

sensible restrictions on access to weapons of mass destruction. right now, we're talking about this farce of a news conference yesterday. it wasn't the president's fault. the white house press corps letting him off the hook and keep asking the same question as if they think they're going to get a different answer no matter how many times they use it. drives me crazy. pete summer. >> we're tweeting at bpshow. fred says the white house press corps has been an embarrassment to democracy for the past 30 years. they just don't know how useless they are. paul says i know the mainstream media are a pack of morons. that's why i watch bill press. >> bill: oh, my god. >> at bpshow is our twitter handle. >> bill: i'll tell you i always have a question ready at those news conferences and i would never ask the same question somebody else asked. it is a waste of my time and his. joey, how you doin' in chicago? >> caller: good, bill. how you doing? >> bill: what's going on? >> caller: on sunday talk show

hosts, they ask the same question over and over to the same people. i'm wondering is john mccain and lindsey graham, are them two dating now because they're on every show together lately. >> bill: i think they're dating the host of the shows joey. i don't know. >> caller: i thought they were dating each other. >> bill: that, too. but you know, we talked about that i think mentioned it yesterday, too. i don't understand, absolutely do not understand why anybody invites john mccain and lindsey graham on any of the sunday talk shows anymore. first of all nobody believes a word that they say except each other, perhaps. and you know, it just -- how many times do you have to hear john mccain grumble or lindsey graham whine? i mean, ya know. every sunday? i think america could stand one sunday without john mccain or lindsey graham. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

to me now? you know the kind of guys that do reverse mortgage commercials? those types are coming on to me all the time now. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. you would rather deal with ahmadinejad than me. >>absolutely. >> and so would mitt romney. (vo) she's joy behar. >>and the best part is that current will let me say anything. what the hell were they thinking?

>> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: here we go. 33 minutes after the hour now. on a tuesday morning january 15. the "full court press" coming to you live from our nation's capital here and our studio on capitol hill. good to have you with us today. as we tackle the issues of the day and one way to get on top of what's happening every day is to go to thinkprogress.org, several times a day in fact. all put together by deputy editor igor volsky here in studio with us for his weekly visit. hello, igor. >> the easiest way is to make think progress your home page

that way it automatically goes there for you. just comes up for you. >> bill: thin you can see all of the latest because you update it. >> many times a day. as often as we can. >> bill: every time there's something breaking. particularly want to ask you about what some of the states are now doing taking the lead on some sensible gun restrictions on gun -- ways to reduce gun violence in this country. we've been talking igor, about the news conference yesterday. i attended at the white house. very disappointed there were no jobs on jobs or immigration reform. nothing on chuck hagel. nothing on climate change. reporters just -- all of the reporters just seem to ask the same question over and over and over again. >> couple of quick comments from twitter. we're tweeting about that topic. jim irwin writes, joey from chicago rocks.

>> bill: joey does rock. >> i wanted to bring this up with you, bill. someone wrote to you on twitter not so fast, bill. didn't you yourself ask a dumb question at a press conference about legalizing pot. which i don't think it's a dumb question. i don't think it's a dumb question. i don't think that's what you're saying. nobody else was asking about that. >> bill: let me put this -- i don't want to get too defensive here. >> oh, no, get defensive. >> bill: i might point out that it was two weeks i waited -- i tried to ask that question -- two weeks after colorado and washington state passed initiatives legalizing the recreational use of pot. in that entire two weeks period, no one in the white house press corps asked a question about it until i did. >> it had to be asked. >> bill: you're damn right it was the right question to ask. again, shame on the white house press corps for nobody else having asked that question. >> i agree. >> bill: i couldn't believe

nobody else -- in fact, jay carney he said leave it to you bill press to be the one to ask that question. my question was why did it take so long? >> i think more people care about that issue than the debt ceiling. >> bill: they get too full of themselves. the problem with the front row particularly the press corps is they represent different networks. they all want to talk about let's say, for example guns. they all want to be on camera asking the question about guns and it doesn't matter if somebody else has already asked the question five different times in five different ways, they're still going to ask it so they can get on camera. that's what's wrong with the press briefings. >> thank you very much for your tweet. >> if you go to the newseum web site and you look at what the country is talking about it is a rich quilt of different issues, different ideas that people around this country are discussing.

and the washington press corps questions of one or two topics doesn't even big to cover -- begin to cover what reporters around this country are reporting on, talking about. that disconnect is really jarring, i think. >> bill: it is jarring. i remember as a reporter in los angeles and a comment tater in los angeles, covering presidential news conferences. we would come out of the news conference and when reagan gave them or george bush gave them, bill clinton whatever, and it was -- boy the president our news conference today. he covered like 11 or 12 topics. boom boom, boom, boom. not yesterday. two topics. there was nothing again on chuck hagel. nothing on immigration reform. nothing on climate change. nothing on jobs. nothing on the flu. why not ask a question about the flu? nothing on molly. we're giving tactical assistance to the french who are bombing these islamic forces. maybe that's a good thing to do so we have american troops

involved in another like mini war and nobody even asks a question about it? it is appalling. >> it really is appalling. >> bill: right. there were questions about guns but what i wanted to ask you about, igor, you've been on top of this. last night new york state the state senate, controlled by republicans, voted 43-18 at 11:00 last night to pass the toughest gun restrictions in the nation. the first state to act in the wake of newtown which was a month ago yesterday by the way. >> yes, it was. >> bill: and today the state assembly is expected to follow and governor cuomo is going to sign those into law. states are moving. it is not just new york. >> 10, 11 states are moving ahead of the federal government, trying to react to newtown in a sensible way. new york has a tough piece of legislation that are expanding their assault weapons ban. they're expanding the reporting requirements that owners who have assault weapons or assault-type weapons are going

to have to register those weapons. there is a mental health component that requires psychiatrists to report people with guns who they believe, to be mentally unstable. so this is kind of a wide and a broad package that was negotiated over a period of several weeks. they pushed it through last night. it is going to get approved today. and it is shocking to hear in all of the reports the opposition in new york is minimized. you had 18 senators who voted against this package. they didn't speak on the floor. they just voted against it. the momentum at least in new york is certainly on the side of reducing gun violence. ten other states, states like massachusetts, maryland, illinois colorado, are look at now similar efforts. how do you restrict these military-style weapons? how do you restrict the high-capacity magazines and mental health is the other important piece. how do you improve reporting how do you ensure that the records that we have in terms of mentally ill people, that

they're cross-checked so that they're out in allowed to purchase wednesday. >> bill: governor martin o'malley from maryland was out front. he'll have the package for maryland coming up soon. and he's committed to that as well. governor cuomo yesterday saying -- talking about the package in new york that this is, he says, the biggest one yet of any state. >> addressing some of the criminal penalties increasing criminal penalties. it addresses protecting our first responders. so i believe it is the most comprehensive package in the nation. >> bill: and the governor pointed out this goes farther than most other laws, proposed laws go in terms of the high-capacity ammunition clips. >> many of the other jurisdictions passed have been talking about ten rounds. this, we believe, would be the most aggressive limit in the country at seven. >> bill: so if the congress

doesn't act and there are questions about house republicans' willingness to do so, even in the light of the newtown massacre, states are moving right? >> states are moving. they're moving along. new york is going to be i think a good model for some of the states to follow. how do you get this done. it's interesting though, the question on the federal level is today, the vice president's going to discuss these issues with the president or he already did. yesterday that will continue. today, there are articles that obama is willing to look at 19 executive orders in terms of enhancing reporting and all of these kinds of things. the question though in terms of how do you move a comprehensive package, there's great uncertainty about where can it even begin. can it start in the senate. harry reid said yesterday in the "wall street journal," i don't know if this can pass. in the house, it is republican controlled, it is unlikely. you already see the white house kind of shifting their focus away from things like assault weapons bans and policies that

strengthen background, maybe some of the policies that there is more bipartisan agreement on because it is going to be tough if you don't know where to start, how do you move it forward? >> bill: i think what they recognize is they cannot count unbelievably so, again after what we've been through in terms of these mass killings in aurora colorado, and newtown connecticut and other places i think you reported yesterday there have been 900 people killed by gunfire? >> it is 33 are killed a day by gunfire. so in the 30 days since aurora, it is 900 if not more who have died since newtown. >> bill: but despite all of that the prospect -- it looks like the congress will still not be willing to act so the focus is shifting to the states where governors are willing to step forward and legislatures, even a

republican-controlled legislature in new york state and to executive action, as you pointed out. the vice president told some lawmakers yesterday a meeting with members of congress that they've identified 19 things that they can do which do not require congressional approval. like getting the cdc to spend more time and more resources researching the impact of gun violence. so that's very significant on the part of this administration which basically did nothing about guns the entire first four years. >> yes. did nothing about guns, produced all kinds of reports about what they could do. never pushed it ahead. the reporting requirements though when it comes to the executive action is fairly significant. you could have prevented a lot of these massacres. 62 in the past couple of decades or even past year -- not past year. it is a broader period than that but the idea that you have about ten states who aren't reporting

their mental health records into the federal database, they're not -- a bunch of other states who maybe have 100 records. executive order can do is say if states don't bring the records into the federal database, we're going to withhold federal dollars. that should really get them to act. >> bill: what's significant i think here is a lot of people, skeptics said, i understand why after newtown well, once again you know, is all of this public hullabaloo about it. you watch, in a week or so, people will forget about it. not this time. not this time. >> it would take a big campaign though. >> bill: it will take a big campaign. there is action on several fronts this time. when we come back, think progress also reporting that there are good number of republicans, house republicans who are saying hey we don't care. we'll shut down the government. it worked so well in 1995. we're willing to do it all over again. it's the "full court press".

tuesday morning. 1-866-55-press. join the conversation. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." conversations, not to be confrontational, but to understand what the other side is saying, and i'd like to arm our viewers with the ability to argue with their conservative uncle joe over the dinner table. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] shift the balance of power decisively in your favor. the exclusive eight-speed transmission and rotary shifter in the new 2013 ram 1500.

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i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 12 minutes now before the top of the hour. igor volsky from think progress in studio here on the "full court press" this tuesday morning. want to get into republican threats again to shut down the government. is that why they were elected really? is that why they ran for office, really? but first, a little reminder about something you might want to look into if you are still in

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igor yesterday not the brightest light bulb in the united states congress, yesterday on msnbc saying yeah, shut the government down. why not. >> let's do it. my constituents want it. it is what my constituents want. i crisscross tennessee and they tell me shut the whole thing down. >> bill: right. >> look, you know, this is really -- when you have more than half of the republican caucus saying shut it down. >> bill: that they're willing to shut it down. >> shut it down in terms of the cr. don't do the continuing resolution that expires in march. shut it down. then you have close to half saying sure, let's breach the debt ceiling. you're in a situation where what is going on here? what is going on here when you have republicans saying because we don't want to compromise, we're not going to govern at all. we're going to do nothing. we're not going to give an inch.

we would rather shut the government down, breach the debt ceiling and see what happens. >> bill: when it comes to the debt ceiling as the president pointed out yesterday over and over and over again because he kept getting asked the same question at the news conference, raising the debt ceiling does not say we are increasing spending. in any way whatsoever. it does not mean spending. what it means is -- congress authorizes spending. they demand spending on defense or on whatever the program happens to be. a new war. a new tax cut for the rich. they demand the spending. and then they have to -- it comes time to pay the bills. raising the debt ceiling means we agree we're going to pay the bills that congress has already spent. right? we're going to pay for the stuff that congress has already bought. as a president i thought it was an excellent analogy yesterday. you don't go to a restaurant and

order a fine meal and then say i'm going to start cutting back right now. i'm not going to pay for that meal. you already ate it, babe! right? >> that's right. how fiscally conservative for them to say we're not going to pay that. let's just clear up this false equivalency that i think it was the first or second question who made the point at the press conference yesterday well, you voted against the debt ceiling in 2006 so what's the deal? look this is -- 2010 -- 2011, after the 2010 election, the whole tea party wave was the first time that you saw republicans hold it hostage. and say unless you do what we want we're not raising the debt ceiling. democrats have never done that. they may have had a problem with the way the mechanics work but they never pushed an entire movement together and said we're not doing anything until you give us what you want. that's not governance.

i don't think that's what any constituent wants at the end of the day. >> bill: i forget now i used to have that number at the top of my head. how many times under george w. bush -- >> 19 times. they voted 19 times. some $4 trillion they raised the debt ceiling 19 times under bush. without a peep, without a squeal. regular, standard votes. >> bill: no demands. >> no demands at all. >> bill: no unless you do this, we're going to shut it down. just 19 times. and now it is pure politics with barack obama. and i thought the president did a very good job yesterday of calling them out. we played this clip earlier. the republicans have two choice. do the responsible thing and pay our bills or -- >> send this country into a tailspin. it will be on their heads. when you have outside republicans saying you can't play these kinds of games you're going to pay for it politically, at the end of the day, i don't know how many of them are going to be able to.

>> bill: ben bernanke from the fed telling congress hey, get serious. get serious. raise the debt ceiling and stop playing games. i don't know igor. got a lot to keep track of. somehow you manage to stay on top of all of it. >> great team over at think progress. >> bill: thinkprogress.org. thank you so much for coming in again today. catch up with you next week. >> thanks, guys. >> bill: all right. i'll be back. we'll find out what you've got to say about some of the issues of the day. >> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show." live on your radio and on current tv. but say i press a few out flat... add some beef sloppy joe sauce...

and cheese fold it all up and boom! i just made an unbeatable unsloppy joe pillsbury grands biscuits. let the making begin. [ female announcer ] what would you call an ordinary breakfast pastry that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun.

(vo) always outspoken, now unleashed, joy behar. >> on my next show i'll talk to the funniest comedians of all time. of all time! mel brooks and carl reiner. and for once i won't even try to get a word in edgewise.

>> announcer: taking your e-mails on any topic at any time, this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: randi weingarten, president of the american federation of teachers in studio with us in the next hour here of the "full court press." on lance armstrong, wayne says he cheated lied and drugged his way into the history books. now he expects us to forgive him because his intentions were good. lance armstrong needs to ride his bicycle into the sunset and stay in the bicycle lane. at least the bicycle lane is legal and honest. yeah. the less we hear about lance armstrong from now on, the better. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: hey hello everybody. it is tuesday january 15. good to see you today. welcome to the "full court press." here on current tv. pardon me. coming to you all across this great land of ours from our studio on capitol hill in washington, d.c. bringing you up to date on the news of the day. not all of it from washington. in fact, new york state has become the first state to act in the wake of last month's newtown, connecticut mass murder of innocence. new york adopting last night the toughest crackdown in the nation on assault weapons on

ammunition clips and background checks and other states like maryland are soon to follow. so if congress does not act on gun violence, governors have indicated they will. they will act. we'll bring you up to date on the latest plus a whole lot more. first, here's today's current news update. lisa ferguson's got it out in los angeles. hi lisa, good morning. >> hey bill. good morning everyone. the house is getting ready to vote today on another $50 billion worth of aid for victims of super storm sandy. earlier this month congress approved $9.7 billion for flood insurance but that left many areas uncovered. obama's initial request for funds calls for $60.4 billion in total relief and today's vote, if it passes, would bring the total much closer to that. victims of hurricane katrina did not have nearly this much trouble getting aid back in 2005. but this time around, hard-line

conservatives are opposed to the measure saying it's asking the government to spend too much. at least one republican though is changing his stance. mississippi rep steven palazzo is one of 67 republicans who voted against that $9.7 billion worth of aid on january 4th. but yesterday i sent out a letter to those members of the g.o.p. asking them to reverse their votes and pass a larger bill that's in the house today. palazzo has been widely criticized for his stance on this since his own state given katrina aid seven years ago. another big issue facing congress is the debt ceiling. treasury secretary timothy geithner released a letter this week saying the government could run out its borrowing authority in as little as four weeks. now, republicans are trying to use this chance to force the democrats into serious long-term spending cuts but obama insists this is about paying the bills congress has already racked up. more bill up next.

just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv.

>> announcer: broad broadcasting across the nation and on tv on current tv. >> bill: breaking news, clarence thomas has spoken. for the first time in seven years. at the supreme court. clarence thomas uttered maybe three words. maybe four. nobody is sure what he said. but he did show signs of life. oh, my god. what do you say? good morning everybody. with that bit of astounding news, we start off the "full court press" this tuesday morning, january 15. great to see you today. welcome, welcome welcome to the program. good to have you with us. look forward to hearing from you

by phone at 1-866-55-press. or on twitter at bpshow. your comment always welcome there. comments as well. welcome on facebook. if you follow us on facebook, it is facebook.com/billpressshow. good morning, good morning, good morning. good to see you. lots going on today. the president will be meeting with the vice president to review what he saw the first sign of yesterday. the president's recommendations on how to deal with gun violence in this country. according to some legislators they -- those recommendations include 19 different actions which the president could take without needing legislation from congress. 19 executive actions. they're all going to be documented and the president expected to have some kind of a public event as early as tomorrow where he will announce to the public what his agenda on

gun violence is going to be. we've got it all covered here with the help of team press. peter ogborn and dan henning hello, guys. >> hey, hey, hey. >> happy tuesday. >> bill: phil backert has the phones and cyprian bowlding always keeping us looking good. >> there is no truth to the rumor that clarence thomas' first words in seven years was when elaina kagan started shouting, he just started shouting baba baba booey. >> bill: talking about what qualified someone to appear before the supreme court. apparently he was trying to make a joke. >> he woke up. >> bill: he woke up and said that's not -- then everybody started laughing. >> that's right. >> bill: like the sphinx spoke. [ laughter ] >> bill: it was not a complete sentence. it was not even a thought. >> so he spoke but he didn't say a whole lot. >> bill: exactly. by the way, jon stewart spoke

last night. this back and forth between jon stewart and paul krugman over the trillion dollar coin. paul krugman actually surprised us after coming out in support of the idea of minting the trillion dollar coin. jon stewart slammed him for it and said it was a dumb thing for a nobel prize winning economist to do. and then paul krugman slammed back at jon stewart. jon stewart last night i think has the final word on this trillion dollar coin which is not going to happen. here was jon stewart. >> as we most, bit we do, whether of the fully fleshed out or by drive by variety. there are always various counter arguments of language and thought which can be cited as evidence of this show's inherent fairness or igance. so i stand by our research on the topic with due diligence and

my ignorant conclusion that a trillion dollar coin minted to allow the president to circumvent the debt ceiling however arbitrary that might be is a stupid [ bleep ] idea. all right. [ applause ] and i'm a fan of paul krugman. >> bill: i'm a fan of paul krugman but he's craze -- crazy on this idea. trillion dollar coin is not going to happen. we have lots to talk about in this hour including the question, now more and more states stepping up. new york state stepping up on the issue of how to reduce gun violence in our communities and particularly in our schools. randi weingarten is the president of the american federation of teachers in studio with us this morning. always good to see you randi. welcome back. >> always great to be with you. >> bill: i'm going to ask you about this -- the nra's idea about their solution to violence in schools. we'll get into that with our entire team here and take your calls at 1-866-55-press. but first...

dan has the big headlines. >> other headlines making news on this tuesday. ann romney, wife to former presidential candidate mitt romney was asked to join the next season of abc's "dancing with the stars." according to tmz. the site reporting she even met with producers several times after her husband lost the election but ultimately decided against appearing on the show. the next season starts in march. cast has not been announced yet. >> bill: what do you think about the fact that ann romney would even consider appearing on "dancing with the stars"? isn't that kind of silly? >> they usually get a political person. she would have been great. >> bill: i can't believe she even gave them the time of day. >> who would have even thought that that would be where she would go in her post-election process? it is just -- you know, you would have to actually deal with the 47%.

>> right. >> bill: she does have a horse that dances. [ laughter ] >> bill: she might have said i'm not interested but have you met my horse? >> have you met my horse? >> tiger woods is not the only top golfer sponsored by nike. the athletic giant this week signing a deal with rory mcilroy. cbs reporting it is worth $200 million for ten years to the irishman. he was welcome to the company in a big ceremony by tiger soccer star wayne rooney and tennis player roger federer. tiger has been with nike since 1996. >> bill: we're just in the wrong business, kids. you know what i mean. deals like. that big money. >> one inauguration day participant might get just as much attention as the president. remember nasa's mohawk guy whose hairdo took the world by storm when the mars rover landed on the red planet? he's marching with other nasa scientists in the parade in washington on monday. political reports he's doing

something new with his hair and it will be a surprise. >> bill: oh, my gosh. >> how exciting. >> bill: this is going to be fun. he'll get a lot of attention. >> i'm sure he will. >> bill: mohawk. on to much more serious note, it was a month ago yesterday that we learned the news of this horrific shooting. still stuns the nation. murder of six adults and 20 children. sandy hook elementary school in newtown, connecticut. randi weingarten of the nra kept it silenced for a week and then came out -- i've been dying to talk to you since then. the answer is give every teacher a gun. if the principal had a gun and confronted that mad men who walked into the school, all of those kids might be alive today. how do you respond to something like that? >> you don't -- i mean it's -- i give the nra their due. they immediately attempted to

distract the conversation from how to deal with sensible gun violence as opposed to stepping up so they were basically who we have always thought they were. they basically instead of stepping up and saying this is what we need to do, to create sensible gun regulation so that we reduce guns in the hands of people who should not have them. they immediately created even more hysteria. and that was terrible. it is a ridiculous, irresponsible, reckless idea. but what's happened is people are scared. that's why even today you see in "the washington post," a lot of people say just put an armed guard in schools. what you realize is that in columbine, there was an armed guard. here in this school, there was a two-minute response rate from the cops. the school -- sandy hook had

several different wings so if you had an armed guard in one place in the school but the shooter had gotten in through a different door, it wouldn't have helped just like in columbine it didn't help. but the real issue becomes how do we reduce gun violence in america? how do we actually take away or try to ban these large munitions because those large munitions that he used in newtown, he could shoot six bullets every second. hunters don't need to shoot six bullets every second. there is a bunch of things that we need to do to reduce gun violence in america. in cities and in rural areas but the one thing we ought not do is arm every teacher. and what frustrates me even more is that a year ago at this time we're having a discussion about whether teachers should have a voice in classrooms. whether they should have any

professional latitude. whether they should actually have a voice in their tools and conditions of employment. so, in that instance, some of the very same people are like no, no no. >> bill: no authority. >> they should be seen but not heard but they should be carrying guns? ridiculous. >> bill: well the one -- maybe at the heart of this is that people really feel that one of the safest places for our kids are schools. you know. >> exactly. >> bill: are they really safe? you send your kids to schools and they go off on the bus or you drop them off. they're there they're safe for the day. something like this happens and people are -- it is -- that certainty is shattered. >> it shatters people's -- sandy hook shattered people's confidence about the safe sanctuary of schools. that's why you're seeing some of the -- some of this like armed guard in every school, get some resonance because people are

scared. but let me just -- so on the issue of armed guards in schools, i think that's a case-by-case basis. i think there has to be school safety audits in all schools. and i think that the old cops program that clinton and then senator biden was a good program if you actually really integrate the cops into the lifeblood of the school. but we have to be careful not to have armed fortresses and we have to be careful not to do some of the stereotyping that gets done sometimes in the streets. that stop and frisk -- that our colleagues and civil rights are so concerned about. their right to be concerned about. we can't have the -- we can't have some of the effects of that. so i would do things like school guards, armed school guards, case-by-case basis in terms of is it a remote area? >> bill: schools are locked down for the most part today

aren't they? schools have taken some pretty serious steps in terms of access to school buildings. >> since 9-11, lots of schools have lockdown procedures. sandy hook had a lockdown procedure. there are things we need to do like panic bars and locks on doors and having kids unfortunately, go through just like we go through fire drills, go through some of these kind of procedures. that is part of our lives. but the safety, the sanctuary the sense of kids being able to walk around in schools i think there should be a presence of less guns in schools not more guns in schools. let me just go back to the issue about teachers carrying guns. just think about it. you have a safety training for an hour, two hours three hours. even if you're a teacher who wants to. what are you going to do against someone who has these assault weapons, who has large munitions and who is wearing a bulletproof

vest? what are you going to do? and where are you going to put the gun? you're going to lock it up somewhere so it's not in view of kids? and so what are you going to do in that two minutes that that mad person is going to come in like this? it is just not the right response even though it is a response for people who are scared because of what has happened in our society and because of that. i think we can get to a whole bunch of things. on mental health. on sensible gun violence. and on sensible school safety. but we need to have the public -- it seems to be with us because the nra will block every single thing that they can. >> bill: you heard the nra they said it again yesterday. the only answer to a mad man with a gun is a good man with a gun. they want every good teacher in the country to have a gun. randi weingarten is here from the aft american federation of teachers. this is one of the big issues facing this country, facing this

congress. 1-866-55-press is the toll free number. join the conversation here on today's "full court press." we'll be right back. >> announcer: radio meets television. the "bill press show." now on current tv. show, to be able to come away armed with the facts, and the arguments to feel confident in their positions. i want them to have the data and i want them to have the passion.

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not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> bill: today, vice president joe biden meeting with president obama to present to him the recommendations out of his task force. he's been hard at it for the last month in the wake of the newtown, connecticut.

to come up with recommendations for the congress. and according to some lawmakers 19 steps that the vice president feels the president himself can take without needing congressional authority on the issue of gun violence. this time it looks like it's just not going to go away. there will be some action. randi weingarten is very much part of that conversation. representing america's teachers as president of the american federation of teachers. before we go to the phones, randi, peter you've been following social media comments. >> we're tweeting at bpshow. rd copeland says barack obama was right. the money drives the nra. it is why nra want more guns in schools and not less. profits above all. even kids' safety. karen, short and to the point says nra sells guns from fear. they will never be sensible. we're tweeting at bpshow. you can join our conversation. >> bill: i think randi people have to realize about today's nra, it is really the

lobby for the gun manufacturers. >> right. frank luntz has done all of these polls of nra members and frankly, my union, there are many members of my union who are nra members. >> bill: i'm sure. >> we should not demonize nra members but the nra is doubling down and acting as an adjunct or as a direct solicitor of the gun manufacturers. not -- and you can see from luntz's polls most nra members want sensible gun rules and regulations. and you know, this is -- you know, the debate that the moment somebody talks about gun regulation, we're talking about getting rid of the second amendment is ridiculous. it is a smoke screen. it is like don't we have regulation for driving? don't we have regulation for almost anything that creates safety issues? why can't we have regulation in terms of guns? >> bill: makes sense. ruth is calling from up in sandy

hook connecticut. hi ruth. good morning. >> caller: good morning. >> good morning. >> caller: thank you, bill and randi. i so respect you. my daughter is a kindergarten teacher in a different town but i live with my daughter and granddaughter. my granddaughter is a third grader. from sandy hook. and she is so traumatized by this whole thing that every day it gets worse for her. she talks about not wanting to ever go to school. she had an idea over the weekend that maybe if she stayed home on mondays then there will only be four days. she doesn't feel safe at school even though there is a wonderful policemen and all kinds of volunteer teachers and the dogs and the therapy people. she doesn't feel safe at home anymore. she wants her mother to come to the bathroom with her. she's sleeping with my daughter. and these people in congress who are so afraid for their next

election that won't support intelligent -- and i'm not talking even as a grandmother of this wonderful child who i don't know how long she will have this stress from it. >> bill: ruth, i hate to cut you off. we're up against the clock. >> look, i was in newtown at least three times i've been there since december 14th. and that kind of trauma that grandma is talking about is just -- it is so apparent and we have to give a lot of support. separate and apart from gun issues, we have to give a lot of support to our colleagues and our sisters and brothers and our families. >> bill: absolutely. randi weingarten, you're out in front on this issue as you are on many other issues. thank you for your time this morning. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

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>> announcer: on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: how about it. 33 minutes after the hour. here we go. the "full court press" on a tuesday, january 15. i'm a party animal. i like a good party. [ laughter ] >> bill: that's what president obama said yesterday at the big news conference in the east room of the white house. that's not all he had to say. but that's sort of what made news yesterday. good to you have with us today. look forward to taking your calls at 1-866-55-press. covering the president's news conference yesterday for politico among others, deputy white house editor edward isaac

deavere joins us on our news line this morning. edward, good to have you with us. >> good morning, bill. how are you? >> bill: what did we get out of the news conference yesterday? >> well, we got a real sense of how much the president dislikes congress in case we didn't have it before. he made clear he has very little patience or interest in having the kind of debates that the house republicans want to have with him about raising the debt ceiling and about most anything. he displayed the lack of patience that he has developed over the first term. >> bill: well maybe in the president's defense right first, let's listen to a couple of things he said yesterday. i was there. he started out by making the point that the debt ceiling

should not be necessarily a matter of debate. hasn't been in the past because it's not about no matter what republicans say about new spending, here's the president. >> obama: raising the debt ceiling does not authorize us to spend more. all it does is say that america will pay its bills. we're not a deadbeat nation. >> bill: on that point the president says while i'm willing to negotiate just about anything else, i'm not willing to negotiate whether or not we pay our bills. again, the president. >> obama: so while i'm willing to compromise and find common ground over how to reduce our deficits, america cannot afford another debate with this congress about whether or not they should pay the bills they've already racked up. >> bill: so the question -- so why should the president entertain this notion that the debt ceiling which republicans voted for 19 times under george w. bush without a peep, you

know, why should he entertain the notion that suddenly this is a matter of big negotiations? >> well, he's trying to say that he shouldn't but unfortunately the house republicans have the majority in congress. unfortunately for him, so when he says he doesn't want to debate it and negotiate over it, he is running up against the fact that people who have the power in the house do want to debate it and that can cause problems. he certainly is pushing this idea here to try to remove this from the realm of what he wants and the american people see as rational debate. he used a lot of words yesterday that were very strong to try to make people see this as what he called an absurd way of approaching this. he talked about this being like

holding a gun to your head or ransom. this was very much about delegitimizing the argument from the house republicans. >> bill: he pointed out that republicans, i think correctly republicans have two choices right? they can either do what they always did under george w. bush and just say okay, we authorized all of this spending, now we have to pay our bills which is automatic or they could shut down the government. >> right. he said that that's their prerogative. and said it -- at one point a little bit nonchalantly. they can do that if they want to but through the rest of the press conference was talking about how devastating to the american economy and to the world economy that would be. so it is more than just their prerogatives. in his mind. he says we're facing a choice between doing what should be in his mind a very simple vote. a very easy vote or creating

potentially enormous self--inflicted wound. >> edward isaac deavere is our guest. he's the deputy white house editor for politico. so how do you read this at the other end of pennsylvania avenue? do you think this is a message that will be heard by house republicans or do you think they'll just be defiant and be willing to shut the government down the way they did in 1955? >> it was heard by the republicans of the hill but they did not seem to be very much swayed by the arguments that the president was making. speaker john boehner and mitch mcconnell, senate republican leader both responded with statements basically saying that this is exactly the right time in their mind to have a discussion about the deficit

cutting measures being -- the debt ceiling. this is all one conversation in their minds where the president is trying to move that away from -- move the deficit cutting away from the debt ceiling and we'll see who ends up successful on this. the republicans lost a big bargaining advantage when they gave up the tax cut discussion. that was tied to the fiscal cliff. at one point if you remember, the president was hoping he could get a debt ceiling deal tied to the fiscal cliff negotiation. that didn't happen. the republicans gave up that negotiation. but they're hoping that the debt ceiling raising will give them the leverage that they need to get what they want when it comes

to spending cuts. the president hopes though that he can by delegitimizing this idea of having the debt ceiling as a debate, have them have no leverage going into the deficit-cutting discussion or at least a lot less leverage. >> bill: the other big topic, the only other topic actually raised at the news conference yesterday other than whether or not you elect a party, president likes to have a party. was the issue of guns where the president was not specific because he hasn't seen -- or wasn't ready to list all of the recommendations that may have come out of the biden task force. but the president did express and repeat his resolve to do something about this issue of gun violence. no doubt about that, was there? >> no. while he put off getting into the details a little bit, he was pretty specific in what he was

looking for. the assault weapons ban. and the prohibition on high-capacity magazines. those are two things that we're expecting will be part of the proposal that the president makes and we're expecting that's going to come this week as early as tomorrow. the other thing that legislatively is expected to be in there is universal background checks. really closing the loopholes at gun shows and things like that that allow for people to buy guns without background checks. the vice president who's been leading the task force also told a number of house democrats yesterday that he is expecting the white house to move on up to 19 executive actions that the president could do on his own to address some of these issues

related to gun violence. but some of those are about mental health studies the center for disease control can do. so not specifically related to guns but really just have a larger issue that -- of mental health that are tied obviously to what happened in newtown. >> bill: right, we may in fact, find out more about that today. jay carney having a regular press briefing at 12:30 today. there is word that the president -- there may be a presidential event tomorrow with the vice president where they will outline the agenda of coming out of the vice president's task force. edward isaac dovere, we look forward to getting you back in here. >> thank you. >> bill: when we come back i gotta tell you, i was there at the news conference yesterday and my problem was the news conference was not what the president said about the debt ceiling. and not what he said about the

guns. my problem was he wasn't asked about anything else. an entire hour with the president of the united states and the white house press corps could not get out out of first gear. they kept repeating the same questions over and over and over again. we'll talk about that when we come back here on the "full court press." good to have you with us. >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv, this is the "bill press show." you know who is coming on to me now? you know the kind of guys that do reverse mortgage commercials? those types are coming on to me all the time now. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. you would rather deal with ahmadinejad than me. >>absolutely. >> and so would mitt romney. (vo) she's joy behar. >>and the best part is that current will let me say anything. what the hell were

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current tv, it's been all building up to this. >>bill shares his views, now it's your turn. >>i know you're going to want to weigh in on these issues. >>connect with "full court press with bill press" at facebook.com/billpressshow and on twitter at bpshow. >>i believe people are hungry for it. flowfntion radio meets television. the "bill press show."

now on current tv. >> bill: 14 minutes before the top of the hour. congressman keith ellison from minnesota in studio with us in the next hour. congressman keith ellison all upset about america's drone policy. maybe there's no policy behind all of the drone action. that's the problem. we'll get into that with him. looking forward to it. meanwhile, before we get back to the issues of the day, if your holiday gatherings are anything like mine, you might have talked about your family roots and what you discovered from ancestry.com. i've been having a lot of fun at ancestry.com as i told you about. particularly tryancestry.com. tracing my family all the way back from delaware city, delaware where i grew up over to salem, new jersey. from salem new jersey, been able to trace them all the way back to the mother country latvia and the area around riga in latvia. you can do the same if you

haven't already done so by going to tryancestry.com. they'll give you two full weeks to find out what you can about your family. and full access to their entire trove of historical documents. 11 billion historical documents online. share my incredible experience. start checking your family roots by going to tryancestry.com to discover what you can with two weeks free. start your journey today by visiting tryancestry.com. that's tryancestry.com. peter ogborn, you've been following this. we've been talking about the president's news conference yesterday. he indicated vice president biden has completed his work on the task force. and is about to come forward with his recommendations. meanwhile, states are not waiting around for congress to act. they're moving on their own. the state senate last night in new york 48-13.

this is a republican-controlled state senate. 48-13 going along with a set of recommendations put forward by andrew cuomo. governor who said last night this is about as strong as any state has done. >> it addresses some of the criminal penalties increasing criminal penalties. it addresses protecting our first responders. so i believe it is the most comprehensive package in the nation. >> bill: the state assembly will act today in new york. the governor will probably sign it later tonight. making new york the first state to act in the wake of the newtown, connecticut mass murder. maryland is also ready to act. yesterday governor martin o'malley hosting an event at johns hopkins university. his guest was a leader on this issue. mayor michael bloomberg of new york who pointed out this is one of the things we talked to congresswoman rosa delauro

about. the lack -- the inability of the cdc because of legal restrictions, placed by congress, their inability to even do any research on the impacts of gun violence. here's mayor bloomberg. >> nih spends $21 million annually researching headaches but it spends less than $1 million on all of the gun deaths that happen every year. if that doesn't give you a headache, it should. >> bill: yeah. good for bloomberg. so ridiculous. and rosa delauro has introduced legislation to lift that restriction. >> it is nice to see some of the politicians now take it seriously. you have to give credit to michael bloomberg. he's been on top of this for a long long time. >> bill: he really has. meanwhile, the nra is just -- it is just making things worse right? they come out, as we discussed at the top of the hour, with randi weingarten coming out with an absurd proposal to arm every

teacher in america as if that's the answer. their latest, peter, you can tell us about. >> so they have released a new app you can download on your youripad or iphone or ipad. >> bill: why would apple accept it? >> that's a good point because the nra created it. they say it is appropriate for ages 4 plus. what you do is -- and i downloaded it during the break. you download it. when you try to go to a shooting range, it will give you a fact or gun tip. fact number one the nra sanctions have sponsored over 11,000 shooting competitions each year. so then you can pick your gun and you can get -- you start out with an m-16, semi-automatic, ak-47, you can pick one of those. awm, i'm not familiar enough with these to know but the pictures of them are terrifying. mk-11. you can buy certain upgrades within the app but you can start up -- >> bill: oh, good! you can get an app to buy --

this is a game, right. >> it is free to download the video game. >> bill: all assault weapons. >> yeah. right. >> bill: no single shot musket here. >> you're shooting at a range. the targets are shaped like coffins. >> bill: coffins. >> with little targets on them. you can just unload on them. and you get points for hitting the target. it is sort of operated on your phone. [ gunfire ] it is -- >> bill: how sick can you get? >> shame on them for doing it and shame on apple for allowing it. especially if you're going to say this is appropriate for ages 4 plus. >> bill: what is it? what's the redeeming value here? you've got a -- a 5-year-old -- >> i have a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old. >> bill: what's the redeeming value for them? >> i will delete this off my phone before i get home. >> bill: the idea they're pretending it is good for a 4-year-old to go -- this is not

like a paint by numbers set. this is purchasing an assault weapon and firing at a coffin. this is the app that the nra which bills itself as a responsible organization, has put up on on the app. >> we talked yesterday about the video games. i'm not sure they're responsible but if the nra's argument is that the video games bear some responsibility -- >> bill: what the he will, l are they doing? >> this is a video game that allows you to shoot, it is a first person shooter game. assault rifle shooting. it is crazy. i don't know what they're thinking. >> bill: you know what they're thinking? they're thinking anything that will sell more guns for the gun manufacturers who are the lifeblood of the nra. that's what this is all about. sick sick, sick! what's the president up to today? we'll tell you when we come back.

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but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> bill: hey here we go. three minutes to go before the top of the hour. on this tuesday morning. january 15. in the next hour, we're going to talk flu. yeah this epidemic sweeping the nation. dr. michael from the center for disease control will be joining us. and then congressman keith ellison from minnesota cochair of the progressive caucus in the

house here with, among other issues, he's very concerned about is what the united states is doing when it comes to drones. it was announced this morning that the united states has agreed, for example to give afghanistan its own fleet of droins. do we really want this technology spreading like that. meanwhile at the white house today, the president and vice president get their dealing briefing at 10:45. at 12:30 they'll meet for lunch as they do once a week. also at 12:30 jay carney will be conducting his daily white house briefing and i will be there representing all of you. so we'll come back, find out what the latest is about the flu and government shutdown and drone policy with congressman keith ellison in the next hour here of the "full court press." >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." you're getting a ton of shrimp and it tastes really good! [ male announcer ] hurry in to

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[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: hey, good morning everybody. good see you today. welcome to the full "full court press" here on current tv. coming to you live all the way across this great land of ours. bringing you the news of the day whether it's happening here in our nation's capital, around the country, around the globe wherever. we'll tell you what's going on and give you a chance to sound off by giving us a call at 1-866-55-press. president obama yesterday telling the world he's a party animal. who knew, right? in fact, the president went on to say that now that his daughters don't seem to want to spend so much time with their

dad anymore he's going to be out looking around for pals to hang out with, maybe play some cards, have a brew, watch tv, who knows what. so come on to washington, folks. it's party time at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. we'll tell you how to get there and a whole lot more. first, the latest with today's current news update, lisa ferguson's got it out in los angeles. good morning. >> hey bill. good morning everyone. a republican congressman is threatening to impeach president obama over his gun safety measures. texas rep steve stockman issued the warning yesterday saying he will introduce articles of impeachment if obama uses executive order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. stockman claims a use of that power by the president would be unconstitutional and an existential threat to the nation. this is not the first time he's taken a controversial stance on guns. during his first term in the house, his office was slow to turn over a letter to the fbi that appeared to contain

evidence about the oklahoma city bombings. last week, he proposed a repeal of all gun-free zones in schools. it looks like president obama might have to issue executive order if he wants anything done on gun control. joe biden's task force will likely propose a ban on high-capacity clips and on assault weapons but majority leader harry reid says something like that might pass the senate but he doubts it has any chance of passing the house. state governors though are making some progress on new gun laws. new york's andrew cuomo and other lawmakers from the state reached a deal yesterday on a range of new gun laws including banning assault weapons and preventing mentally ill people from buying firearms. the assembly will bring that package to a vote today and it is expected to pass. more bill is coming up after the break. we would love to hear from you in our chat room. join us there at current.com/billpress.

right have, about the "heavy hand of government" ... i want to have that conversation. let's talk about it. really? you're going to lay people off because now the government is going to help you fund your healthcare. really? i want to have those conversations, not to be confrontational, but to understand what the other side is saying, and i'd like to arm our viewers with the ability to argue with their conservative uncle joe over the dinner table. irene, drop the itch. we dropped the itch, you can too. maximum strength scalpicin® is not a shampoo so you can stop intense itch fast, wherever you are. i dropped the itch. drop the itch with scalpicin®.

>> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: new york state becomes the first state to act on gun violence after newtown connecticut. state of maryland soon to follow. who needs congress? what do you say? hello, everybody. great to see you today. good morning, good morning, good morning! and welcome to the "full court press." here on current tv. and your local progressive talk radio station. this tuesday morning. january 15. so good to see you today. and welcome to the program. as we tackle the big news

stories of the day. everywhere from the flu to foreign policy and to drones. and to gun control and the debt ceiling. it's all on the table today. and it's all up for grabs here in this last hour together. this tuesday morning. give us a call if you want to join in at 1-866-55-press. you can also follow us on twitter at bpshow, on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow. join the conversation at any time. that's why we've got team press here standing by. peter ogborn and dan henning. hello, guys. >> hey hey. >> bill: phil backert has the phones. cyprian bowlding online with the video cam. >> yes, indeed. >> bill: whole team. >> we're here. >> bill: what's up? >> i was just talking to cyprian over the break. we've got ourselves a two-game winning streak for our wizards. for our washington wizards basketball team. they beat the magic last night. 120 points they scored. they've only won -- >> bill: went to the game

saturday night. you brought them their good luck charm. >> only five games and now they're on a two-game winning streak. it is amazing. >> bill: i can't stand the excitement. [ laughter ] >> bill: talk about excitement, man. yesterday at the news conference, the final question of the day was mr. president from jacki collins from "the new york times," mr. president what about this criticism you get for being rather aloof and you don't really like to socialize with other members of congress? and president obama said that's not true! i'm a fun guy. >> obama: most people who know me know i'm a pretty friendly guy. and i like a good party. >> yeah. >> bill: i like a good party. >> he's a real party animal. >> bill: he says when those members of congress come over here, by the way it is illustrative once a year, for the barbecue on the south lawn. we always have -- we have a

great time, he says. >> obama: when i'm over here at the congressional picnic and folks are coming up and taking pictures with their family, i promise you, michelle and i are very nice to them and we have a wonderful time. but it doesn't prevent them from going on to the floor of the house and blasting me for being a big-spending socialist. >> bill: that kind of goes with the territory. >> yeah. i think every president has to deal with that. >> bill: yeah. there are those. but people tend to be nice. civil. somebody asked me the other day like when i get recognized out shopping or restaurants or kind of whatever, how many people really come up to me and say i hate your guts? and it is almost nobody ever does. there are a lot of people that hate my guts but the people that come up usually just say hi, how

are you? nice to see you. enjoy your program or love your work or whatever. >> you realize you just opened up pandora's box. because the next time you get seen -- >> bill: to me, it convinces me most people are chicken because i get all of the hate mail. but -- and i know that maybe what it is the people who really hate me, when they see me, they would rather not say hello which is fine with me. i don't want to talk to you either. >> yeah, right. >> bill: hey the flu we want to find out about that. we will right here at the top of the hour with dr. michael young from the cdc. but first -- >> this is the "full court press." >> on this tuesday other headlines making news now that lance armstrong is admitting to doping justice department officials may join a federal whistle-blower lawsuit against the former cycling champ. "usa today" reporting they may join the lawsuit initiated by former teammate lloyd landis going under armstrong under the

false claims act looking to see if he defrauded the u.s. postal service of $30 million when it sponsored his team. armstrong has recently sought reconciliation with floyd landis but landis has remained hostile doesn't want anything to do with him. >> bill: it would be kind of fun if lance armstrong had to pay the post office back. >> and chevrolet unveiled its 2014 corvette yesterday. the first all-new version of the muscle car in nine years and it is quite different. >> nine years? >> still got the muscular car style but the v8, 450 horsepower engine is different to match new government fuel standards, it powers down to four cylinders when cruising at highway speed. gets between 25 and 30 miles to the gallon. much better than the 16 miles to the gallon the current model gets. >> do you still have to have a really tiny penis to drive one

of those? i'm pretty sure that's a requirement. >> ann romney, wife to former presidential candidate, mitt romney was asked to join the next season of abc's "dancing with the stars." tmz reports she never met with producers several times and was considering it after her husband lost the election. but ultimately, decided against appearing on the show. the next season starts in march. no cast has been announced yet. >> bill: so instead, the dressage horse is going to dance. >> yeah. >> she wouldn't do it. bring out rafalca. >> bill: other members of the family that dance. 12 minutes after the hour. >> probably sent that horse to the glue factory since it didn't win. >> bill: frightening reports in the news, across the nation state after state after state reporting record numbers of people coming down with the flu. is there enough vaccine? what should people do about it? we wanted to check in and find out how bad things are. dr. michael young joins us. he's a flu expert with the

center for disease control down in atlanta. hey, dr. jhung, thank you for your time this morning. >> my pleasure. >> bill: how bad is it? >> we're seeing a lot of influenza activity, more than we typically do for this time of the year. does that mean we're having an early season? yes. does it mean we're having a worse season than previously years? we don't know yet. this could all peter out over the next couple weeks to months and we could end up having a pretty typical season. >> bill: is it epidemic status? >> let me tell you what we use the word epidemic for. epidemic just means a lot of disease in an area. so we get epidemics of flu every year. technically. it is an ep epidemic. we prefer to call it the influenza season and this is what we see every year this time of the year. this year, it is a little bit earlier than we normally see it. and we're still continuing to see pretty high levels of

activity. >> bill: is this a regional -- what is the geographic distribution that you're finding? >> we're seeing the flu everywhere. there's one area of the country in the west, maybe southwest that is seeing perhaps a little bit less flu than the rest of the country. but everybody else is seeing flu above normal levels and what we see every year, really, is there are regions of the country that get a lot of flu and then it goes away and then other regions start to increase their levels and then they go away. it sort of hits in waves throughout the country. >> bill: is there any particular age group that's susceptible that you're finding? >> everybody can get the flu. the people that are most at-risk for getting serious illness are those who are a little bit older. 65 years and older and the very young kids under 5 under 2 years old. >> bill: hmm. now generally i want to ask you about the flu vaccine.

first of all, it is a good idea to get it, i would imagine right? you would argue. >> absolutely. every year this year may be especially a good idea. >> bill: isn't it a little late to be getting it for this year? >> we ask people to get the vaccine as soon as they can. that would be as soon as it comes out. maybe september or so. of last year. it is not too late to get it but i wouldn't wait any longer this year to get it. >> bill: i get a flu shot every year. i think of it as september or october, you know. when you should go out and get it. i got mine last year. at that time. do we have -- the question someone asked me the other day is the current -- is the flu that you're seeing today, do we have the right flu shot or the right flu vaccine for that flu that we're experiencing today? >> we do. we actually do. the viruses that are out there in every state in the country right now are in the vaccine.

the vaccine every year has three of those viruses and the viruses that we're seeing most commonly circulated in the u.s. are in the vaccine so the vaccine should offer some pretty good protection. >> bill: so we're covered from that respect huh? >> we're covered as well as we can be. the vaccine is never a guarantee that you're not going to get flu but it is still the best way to prevent the flu. >> people with kids, the first thing that they think of is how do i keep my kids from getting sick. i'm not an overly cautious parent. but my wife and i are freaking out because it is so rampant. are there any other extra precautions that parents should be taking with this type of flu? there's the obvious make sure the hands are washed, that type of stuff. is there anything extra that can be done? >> sure. other than getting vaccinated and trying to make sure everyone around your kids and your family are also vaccinated so you can't -- people can't spread the flu to them. things like hand washing things

like staying away from places where there are a lot of people who are sick and making sure people cover their coughs, cover their sneezes, those are things we ask people to do every year. unfortunately, some people will end up getting flu despite all of those things. >> bill: or people who are sick stay home, right? >> absolutely. it is difficult. i know it's difficult for people even to keep their kids home from school but we strongly recommend if you're sick, don't go to work. if your kids are sick, keep them home from school. >> bill: now, you mention the vaccine. i sort of thought the vaccine was for people like 50 or older. you're saying all ages should get the vaccine every year? >> every year. everyone six months of age or older. it is especially important for the older people. they're most at risk for complications. people with underlying medical conditions like asthma or heart disease, especially important for them. but if you think about it, if flu goes from person to person to person, if you get a vaccine if a healthy young adult gets a

vaccine, they're less likely to give it to their elderly grandparent or their sick brother or something like that. so it helps everybody. >> we're on twitter by the way at bpshow. we've thrown out there this idea of the flu and if anybody is worried or concerned. a couple of comments. everyone in my family and neighborhood that i know who got the flu all already had gotten the flu shot so they got the flu shot but they got the flu anyway but the illness was shorter after they got the flu shot and doctor, one question from kevin king. please ask can you get the flu shot if you already have a cold? >> yes. absolutely. there are few reasons not to get the flu shot. the most important of those is if you've had a severe allergic reaction -- having a flu shot before. if you have a cold, there's no reason that prevents from you getting a flu shot. >> bill: dr. michael young is a flu expert at the center for disease control in atlanta. you can follow their good work

at cdc.gov. so is there any explanation for why, this early in the season, we're seeing such an outbreak of flu? is it weather-related or what? >> we really don't know. there's probably a couple of reasons. some of them we know. some of them we can guess at. ultimately influenza seasons will vary from year to year. we've occasionally seen seasons this early before. sometimes we see them much later than average. it may have something to do with the virus that's out there. the most common virus that is circulating in the united states is something we call an h3n2 virus. this particular virus, in the past, has been seen commonly in severe and early seasons. so it may have something to do with what we're seeing this year. >> bill: and not -- i did hear one report that part of the problem might be with weather

conditions, you know, for example, here in washington, d.c., it is 60 degrees. it should be 30 degrees right. in other parts of the country it is a lot colder than it normally would be at this time. does that have any impact at all? >> the evidence for how whether a climate impacts flu is in its infancy. in the winter, we know that flu virus does tend to live a little bit longer when its's cooler and when its's less humid. so in areas of the country that are experiencing cooler weather and less humidity, it is possible that that could contribute to more flu. but you also have to think about the fact that when it's cold and unpleasant outside people tend to gather inside in groups and transmit more. >> bill: easy to transmit that way. excellent information dr. jhung. thank you for your time. we appreciate it. >> you're welcome. >> bill: as dr. jhung is from

the center for disease control. peter, he sort of referenced this. i was reminded last night watching the news, if you think about all of the different things, you go to work, that you touch, that we all touch computer screen, how many times you clean your keyboard, right? >> yeah. >> bill: your desk, you know. the elevator button, the door handles. we're surrounded by it. the sinks in the bathroom. think about all of that stuff. there are so many ways that you can spread the disease. you know, indirectly. not willingly. you just do right? >> i'm doing the rest of the show in a hazmat suit. >> bill: so am i. get the hell out of the studio. it is the "full court press." on a tuesday morning. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

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>> bill: congressman keith ellison from minnesota in studio with us for the last half hour of the show today. looking forward to that. meanwhile, among other issues, coca-cola is getting a lot of heat because they have come out with a new ad campaign on the issue of obesity where they basically say obesity is a real problem and we are part of the problem and we want you to know that and we want you -- we think you ought to do something about it. it is a two-minute ad. don't have time for the whole thing. here's how it starts. coca-cola. >> for over 125 years we've been bringing people together. today, we would like people to come together on something that

concerns all of us. obesity. the long-term health of our families and the country is at stake and as the nation's leading beverage company, we can play an important role. >> bill: it goes on to tell some of the things that they talk -- talk about some of the things that they have done and it ends up sort of with a message of you've got to count your calories and some of them are in coke. >> announcer: but beating obesity will take action by all of us based on one simple common sense fact. all calories count. no matter where they come from. including coca-cola and everything else with calories. and if you eat and drink more calories than you burn off you'll gain weight. the well-being of our families and communities concerns everyone and finding a solution will take continued effort from all of us. >> bill: pete, this is getting -- this is generating a lot of controversy because people are saying wait a minute, people just didn't drink coke, it would be a big step toward getting rid of obesity. i don't know. i think coke is being straight

up. they admit that the 140 calories in every can of coke -- >> i'm with coke. good for coke on this. you know, treats should be treated as treats. and if you want to have a coca-cola, a real deal coca-cola every once in awhile, there's nothing wrong with that. >> bill: as long as you understand -- >> as long as you understand it's not good for you. >> bill: it's not good for you. here's what the impact is. here's how many calories and you gotta do something about obesity and that means maybe having fewer cokes every day and also getting some exercise. >> and for heaven's sake, don't give it to your kids all the time to drink. >> bill: yeah. 140 calories in a can of coke. that's about the same amount of calories as in a glass of white wine. i would rather have a glass of wine, thank you. >> bring in the wine! bring in the wine for mr. press. >> bill: keith ellison coming up next on the "full court press." >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

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>> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress. this is the "bill press show." on current tv. >> bill: in our nation's capital, tuesday january 15. good to see you today. congress is back in session. at least the house is back in town. don't know that they're going to get a lot done this week. the natt is still out of town but everybody gearing up for the reinauguration of president obama. well, it is going to happen sunday unofficially, the real day and then monday, the official ceremony on the western

steps of the capitol. congress back in town meaning a lot of friends back in town including congressman -- led by congressman keith ellison from minnesota. good to see you. >> good to be here, bill. how you doing buddy? >> bill: first visit of 2013. have a good break? >> highly productive. did a lot of work. >> bill: get that microphone closer. >> i was asked by one of my twitter followers out in oregon to -- >> bill: in oregon? >> to give a shout out to you you know, starting with you. >> bill: all right cool. >> then phil. >> phil! >> cyprian. >> our videoman. >> and the screener dude. >> that's phil. >> what about dan? >> they didn't say you dan. >> what? >> i'm sure the love is there. >> i didn't get one either. >> charge it to the head, not the heart. i'm sure that love was streaming

your way too brother. >> bill: all right, you can give the -- the love back to all of your twitter followers. >> love back the other way from the bill press team. >> bill: man we've got so much to talk about. congressman, i was at the white house yesterday for the president's news conference. and he started off by talking about the need to do something about deficit reduction and particularly about the debt ceiling. he said it should not be a big debate and he said republicans in congress have two choices. here's the president. >> obama: republicans in congress have two choices here. they can act responsibly and pay america's bills or they can act irresponsible and put america through another economic crisis. >> bill: and about half -- i think it's over half of the house republican caucus say they're willing to shut down the government if they don't get massive cuts in social security and medicare. what's going on? >> well, if you start with the

chairman -- the chairperson of their conference, kathy mcmorris rodgers, she said they may have to shut it down just to send a message to obama. boehner has said he doesn't care about the sequester. we're willing to take the cuts without any adjustments. >> bill: marsha blackburn from tennessee said shut it down. >> shut it down. you could get like a list of quotes from these guys. all adding up to one thing. they don't really care. you know, what happens. they don't care about students. they don't care about schools. they don't care about public safety. they just -- let it all just crumble. also they can get their way. and this is -- i think legislative malpractice man. there ought to be a law. you shouldn't be able to just obstruct and stone wall that way and i'm hoping that the media -- i'm not talking about you because you get this stuff but i wish that the other elements of the media would stop saying

congress is broken. no, congress is not broken. there is an element in congress, not even the entire republican caucus, but a part of it that is, in fact, broken and they don't want to legislate and they're happy to see it all fall into the sea. they need to start getting the blame for it because as long as it's like everybody's messing up we don't move ahead. they can screw things up, not cooperate and then not really take the responsibility for it because it's shared by the whole congress. >> bill: it seems that that tale, if -- that tail, if you will, is wag the dog when it comes to the republican caucus. >> imagine sitting during the plan b vote. [ laughter ] i'm like what is going on? it really isn't one of those situations where you know, just watching them is like wow, you know. it must be -- if you're a reasonable person in the republican caucus and there are some it must be really hard. it must be really hard to see

this bad behavior going on. and you know, so tom cole, nice enough guy. i disagree with him on most things. but he does say let's try to work with these guys on the $250,000, back a few weeks ago. he gets no traction. and the people who take the most extreme position, you know, burn it down, tear it down, let it fall. let the government shut down. they're like the heroes of that caucus. that's just bizarre. >> bill: here's what gets me. a lot of people say what do you mean the president says he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling? republicans say they'll shut down the government unless they get their cuts so therefore the president has to negotiate with them. 19 times under george w. bush, republicans voted automatically to increase the debt ceiling. never demanded one dime in spending cuts. >> what about their pay saint ronald reagan? it was double digits.

so bottom line is -- >> bill: i think obama's right. saying no, no, no, no. this is not something. we do not debate as he said yesterday, several times, we don't debate whether or not we're going to pay our bills. we're not a deadbeat nation. >> bill, for the listeners who may not know this and i'm sure many people do but for those who may not know, when we raise the debt ceiling we're not authorizing future spending. >> bill: good point. >> we're just paying the bills we've already acquired. we've already passed authorization bills and appropriation bills and the president signed the bill. we spent the money. this is just saying we're going to pay. okay. so like why wouldn't we want to do that? right? and so it is really sort of a ridiculous thing. i'm going to tell you, the progressive caucus, we're not against cuts. we have cuts that we think we'll go for. like -- >> bill: you've already done a lot of cuts. >> we've done $1.7 trillion in cuts. what if we did close some of the loopholes for the fossil fuel

industry? we could do well. there is this thing called the master limited partnership. this is nothing but a give way to the fossil fuel. we should allow for corporate taxation and doesn't extend oil gas. it is just fossil fuel. there are a number of cuts that could be done and we should do them. we should cut -- we've got to cut the military. the budget has more than doubled since 2001. i mean there are responsible changes that could be made but you know, the republicans don't want to do that. they only want to do cuts when it means working middle class people have to pay the bill. if they don't -- if they want to deny what i'm saying is true, prove it. agree with me on some fossil fuel cuts on some military cuts. i will say a guy mike nick mulvaney deserves some credit. republican conservative from south carolina. he and i got a letter together saying we should have some

military cuts. but you know, i'm hoping he can get more of the caucus to join with me because with us, because so far you know, it's doubtful. >> bill: congressman keith ellison in studio with us. you can follow him on twitter at keith ellison. congressman, you're out in "the washington post" yesterday with an article time for congress to build a better drone policy. >> yep. >> bill: and this morning "the new york times" reports that the united states has agreed to give an entire fleet of drones to afghanistan. i'm glad we're talking about this. i've been talking about this for a long time. you're the only other person i know who's raised the issue. i would ask you what better drone policy. there's no drone policy right now, is there? >> you know -- >> bill: in terms of how much we can use them and for what purposes and who decides? >> let me tell you, at this point, you know, they have some internal rules that they say

they have. if i don't say that, they'll say we do have some rules. >> bill: okay. >> but not really. there really is no drone policy. and we're not counting the real costs of the program. i mean tint, pakistan use -- i mean at this point pakistan was a country where america was admired widely. our image in that nation was plummeted because in large measure because of this drone policy we have. i think the real problem is that you know, because we can do something, we haven't slowed down to ask should we do it? yeah, we had the technology, smart people who can run a drone. well what about the human element here where we make sure that we are respecting civilians, that we make sure that there is a quantum of proof that is reviewable before we decide to execute a human being including a u.s. citizen. and of course, all of this stuff

is made a little more complicated because you take a guy like anwar al-awlaki bad guy. no doubt about it. and if you use a policy to get after a bad guy, then you never review the policy because the outcome was a bad guy. but we need to review this policy and start getting our hands around it to say does america want to be a country that abandoned the rule of law that abandoned the geneva convention, that doesn't have any reviewability, that doesn't -- executes its own citizens. do we really want to be without due process of law. i think the answer is no. i think it's time to draw attention to this problem so we can get some real debate going on it. >> bill: that doesn't get to the issue of all of the expansion of drones for the purpose we're talking about in this country. police departments already have them. fire departments, some of those uses again are justifiable.

and applaudable right? then others, you've gotta wonder about. congressman keith ellison. paying new ground here. not for the first time on the issue of drone policy. your questions your comments on any issue. 1-866-55-press here on the "full court press" tuesday morning. >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv, this is the "bill press show." have the data and i want them to have the passion. but it's also about telling them, you're put on this planet for something more. i want this show to have an impact beyond just informing. an impact that gets people to take action themselves. as a human being, that's really important. this is not just a spectator sport.

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>> bill: 13 minutes before the top of the hour. we're talking government shutdown. we're talking drone policy with congressman keith ellison from minnesota here on the "full court press" this tuesday morning. back to our conversation and to your calls in just a second. this story caught my attention out of westmoreland, new york. up in oneida county. a westmoreland woman identified as a victim of identity theft. the police arrested 31-year-old darryl wells from near albany, new york, for using her personal information to make purchases online. another story of identity theft. and all the more reason to make sure that you are protected against it. i am with lifelock ultimate. it's the most comprehensive i.d. theft protection ever made. even monitors your bank accounts for takeover fraud. look into it because of course lifelock can't protect you or your bank account if you're not a member.

call today. mention press 60 for 60 risk-free days for ultimate identity lifelock protection. if you're not happy, give them a call within another 60 days to cancel and get a full refund. give them a call at 1-800-356-5967. for lifelock ultimate. >> bill: back to drones, congressman before we go to the phones. you know some people make the argument that if we can in effect conduct -- go after our enemies of the united states -- >> conduct war -- >> bill: conduct war really by remote control somebody sitting out here in mclean with a little drone stick joystick and get one of our enemies on the battlefield and afghanistan or pakistan or somewhere, no loss of life. doesn't cost very much. it is sort of a painless way to do it like why not. isn't that preferrable to

sending in the marines? >> you know what? i make that point in the op-ed that i wrote that that's actually why we do it this way. but what we're ignoring are the huge costs associated with doing it that way. yeah, of course, we would rather, you know, put -- have a machine do what troops would ordinarily do. but the fact is that there are collateral consequences. people do die who don't have anything to do with this. we do destroy our national reputation. we do create a tremendous damage to our rule of law when we don't operate according to law. the fact is that this has immediate gratification thing. we get a bad guy. but then the next thing we do is we do damage to our constitution. we do damage to innocent people. we do damage to our national reputation which i think has serious consequences into the long-term. i definitely make the point in

my column that i wrote yesterday that look, you know, drones have been effective. who could say they weren't? but we also have to understand that there are real causes here we're not looking at. >> bill: the first time another nation uses a drone on u.s. soil, can you imagine? victor's got a question from miami. hello, victor. good morning. >> caller: how you doing? hello, congressman everybody you guys are awesome. >> bill: thank you man. >> caller: my comment is this, at the very same time, let's not forget -- pakistan, like afghanistan, was harboring this guy. so there may be some collateral but at the end of the day our citizens, our country is the one that's suffering so i think it is high time they understand, you start stuff, there is going to be stuff. we would like to avoided it but if you're going to allow a guy to live a couple of miles from your point and act like you don't know where he is, president obama will go get him and he did. it is not a clean-cut thing. i understand the congressman's point that we have to be careful

not to ruin our image but our image is ruined already. >> bill: we got your point victor. it is a complex issue. >> well -- >> bill: as you pointed out. >> it has flexities to it but in my point it is simple, actually. let's get some rules. let's say we're not going to execute people with robots unless it is in the immediate interest of our national security and life is at risk. right? and let's say that there's going to be some true reviewability. that there's going to have to be somebody beyond people inside the executive branch who are look at this stuff before a decision is made to do it. let's say that you cannot execute somebody in a foreign country unless you have the consent of that country or that's like an act of war. you're preaching their sovereignty. as you pointed out bill, we would never tolerate if canada was running drones over here. >> bill: are you kidding? >> let's get some rules here.

you raise the situation about bin laden. we were just talking about it on the break. this was an enormously complex situation. bin laden directed the murder of 3,000 americans. he is an irredeemably bad guy and you know, he got brought to accountability. but the point is, do we have to keep going down this road just because we went down this road once in extraordinary circumstance? can't we now say okay, the man who hurt americans on 9-11 is now off the scene. we dealt with him. let's get -- let's go from 9-11 to 9-12 where we really began to get back to our basic core values. remember abraham lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus during the civil war. after the civil war, it was restored. >> bill: right. >> so i mean, the caller -- you know, pointing out a complicated situation but i would say the caller, if you say you know, he

said we ruined our reputation so why change. that's exactly why we should change. the world expects the leader of the free world who upholds freedom of justice for all to live by that. we gotta return to that. particularly now that some of these things have been addressed. >> bill: congressman keith ellison, great to have you your voice out there. >> thank you, man. any time. >> bill: great to have your voice on the program. few everybody on the press team, thanks again. >> bill: come back any time. >> you got it, brother. >> bill: we'll be back with a quick parting shot. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

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>> announcer: the parting shot with bill press. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: on this tuesday january is 15, a quick parting shot about yesterday's news conference. i was there in the east room of the white house. whole hour and the president took only seven questions and only covered three topics. what a colossal waste of his time and ours. but you know you can't blame the president. you gotta blame the white house press corps. those people asking questions just kept asking the same questions over and over and over again. and nothing on jobs. nothing on immigration reform. nothing on chuck hagel. nothing on climate change. nothing on molly. shame on the white house press corps for not doing its job! hey, folks go out and have a great one today. come back tomorrow. we'll be here with eliot spitzer tomorrow morning. see you then. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."